Australian consulate in city

The country's third Australian consulate-general will open doors in the city soon.

By A Staff Reporter in Calcutta

Published 10.05.18

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Calcutta: The country's third Australian consulate-general will open doors in the city soon.

The Australian government on Tuesday promised funding for the new consulate-general. The announcement was made during the budget in the Australian Parliament in Canberra.

"The opening of the consulate-general in Calcutta will take the total number of Australia's diplomatic posts in India to four, in addition to the high commission in New Delhi and consulates-general in Mumbai and Chennai," said Harinder Sidhu, Australia's high commissioner to India.

The 2018 Foreign Affairs and Trade, Tourism and Investment Budget, in a joint media release by Australian minister for foreign affairs Julie Bishop and minister for trade, tourism and investment Steven Ciobo, talks about the government's "largest diplomatic expansion in 40 years... and providing $10.8 million for a new consulate-general in Calcutta, India".

All applications for an Australian visa in the country are at present processed in Delhi.

"The consulate-general in Calcutta will strengthen bilateral trade and investment, particularly in mining and resources. We look forward to strengthening our engagement with Bengal and surrounding states," Sidhu said.

The government has decided to extend the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund as well.

"India has, and continues to be, an important partner to Australia in innovation and science," Sidhu said.